LET'S SHOP

CATEGORIES

Subscribe via email

Instagram

PINTEREST

27.5.11

Paint Your Love, week 7: We Are United

Look at this! It makes me so happy to see so many wonderful ladies participating in the Paint Your Love project. I have gotten emails from young girls struggling with how they view themselves to emails from women who have found themselves deep into abusive relationships that they now realize they need to get out of. I've gotten emails from women dealing with eating disorders, health problems, emotional struggles, physical pains, just about everything you can imagine that causes pain and suffering in the lives of women (and men too! I know some of you are reading along, and I hope my words can be of comfort to you too.)
I am so proud of you all for opening up, not just to me, but to yourselves acknowledging that you have important needs and you DO deserve to be treated well by others and by yourself. For you ladies who are taking some baby steps to become stronger and healthier, I am really proud of you. Each tiny little thing you do, whether it is just taking the time to paint your nails once a week, or trying out new healthy meals, waking up at the same time everyday or trying out a nice new outfit, each of these little steps you take are valuable and worthy of remembering. Your efforts that show up as visual results of investing in yourself are so awesome. And as a community of women who are all trying new ways to love ourselves and take care of ourselves each week, we are achieving A LOT. A lot of you have sent me the kindest words letting me know ways that I am inspiring or encouraging you in being honest about my struggles and showing you the ways in which I am working through things, working to take care of myself. And I promise you, your efforts are not going unnoticed either. Those around you I am SURE see growth and new light and life in you. Each little step you take to self love gives you a brighter glow and an ounce more of self confidence. And those things are worn on your skin, free for others to see and admire and love.
I am proud of you. Keep going, and if you feel like you have fallen down, get back up and try new inventive ways of showing yourself you are worthy of love this week.

To you ladies who have let me know the really really hard ways in which you have taken leaps of faith into doing what is best for you, gosh, I can't even tell you how amazed I am by you. So many of you have been mistreated by people who should have been you greatest support. So many of you have felt broken down and empty because of situations that spiraled out of control. But LOOK AT YOU NOW. You are in the present. You recognize the change that has needed to come about. You have taken enormous steps to open the door and walk out of your abusive relationships. You have taken the steps to get help for your eating disorders. You are stepping up and realizing, "I DESERVE TO BE TREATED WELL," by those around you, and by yourself. You are on new and powerful journeys. There are new struggles to face, yes, but those struggles are not going to be as hard now that you recognize, YOU are in control of your life. You have started on your new path, and the hardship ahead is hardship you CAN handle, because you know that first step was the hardest step to take. Based off of that first step, you know you have at least an ounce of strength, a tablespoon of hope, a little glimmer of power in your will that tells you, "I CAN DO THIS."
You can do this. And you know, you are not alone. Look at all of these hands that are holding on with you. We are a community, and we are here to support and hold each other up when we need help and hope.

I know that I am beginning to feel stronger, more confident, and joyful everyday even with the challenges that hit at moments I can't control. I can't control what happens to me, but I can control how I deal with each situation and how I take care of myself in each moment. And I am learning how to do everything better and in a more healthy way because I know other ladies out there are trying too. And we are sending kind words and love out into the universe for each other. I am proud of you ladies. And I look forward to hearing more and more about how you are taking care of yourself as weeks go on.

This week, paint your nails to remember, "I am not alone. I am united with all those out there, making the choice to do what is best for themselves. We are a community, and we are getting stronger and healthier every single day. When we love ourselves, we are inspiring those around us to do the same. We are valuable and beautiful."

I would love it if you would leave a comment with words of encouragement to those around you struggling, or even words of encouragement to yourself. If you have worked through a difficult problem, I bet there are plenty of women who would love your advice on their similar struggle. A huge collection of encouraging words will bring hope and love to that person who really really needs it today. And feel free to leave anonymous comments if you'd rather not leave your name. Let's bring a little love into the world together <3

12 comments:

such a beautiful and empowering post moorea! i certainly don't feel alone now, it's like we're all holding hands all over the world.

To any of you out there that have every suffered from depression, anorexia or binge eating disorder ~ over a 9 year period i have struggled through all three, and i am finally coming out the other side a better person: it is possible, and you *don't* have to be ashamed of your struggles. It took me a while to accept that i had battled anorexia in particular, because so often this is portrayed as a desire to be thin spiralled out of control. I never wanted to be thin: i wanted control in a world that was otherwise spiralling out of control. I wanted to be the best at something when i felt inadequate at everything else. i wanted something to feel worthy, and more than anything i wanted to punish myself: i felt inadequate as a person.

I managed to beat both my anorexia 7 years ago, and my binge eating disorder in the last year...but moorea's words have helped me truly with my life long battle with depression. she has inspired and encouraged me, and i have opened up on my blog about 'secrets we shouldn't be afraid of' in our past.

we are all strong enough everyone, we can all do this. we are amazing, resilient, fighting women. we can do it, and we deserve to be happy

Such a beautiful post, Moorea. This whole series is so empowering. My words of encouragement?You are strong. The fact that you cry doesn't make you weak, it simply means you have empathy. Being alone isn't being lonely, and being fat isn't ugly. Your wrinkles, scars and freckles aren't bad memories, but a map of your life and where you have been, and all that you have overcome. You don't need to be afraid of speaking out, because even if it's scary it's important.

Mooorea.. I adore these posts you write.. sadly with my story.. sometimes, I feel i would be writing forever to make you all understand the abuse I hv suffered. Just this past week.. I hv been writing more and feeling more brave about living with an emotional and verbal abusive person in my life, namely, my ex husband and my own father. My ex still demeans and abuses me all to the detriment of our daughters. It's a horrible situation.. and well.. this week after being berated by him last Fri, I hv finally stood up for myself and said enough is enough. No more abuse. Of course he thinks he is the world's best parent and I am nothing.. and my daughters are of course caught in the middle, as they live with him in Canada.. and I in ND. I am also struggling with the fact my own father emotionally abuses me and has for my entire life. He is so self absorbed and does the same things my ex now does.. they learn fr ea other.. I am healing .. it's been a rough week.I thank God for you. xo hugs bonitarose

I hv been blogging alot this past week with so many blog posts on my blog about standing up to emotional and verbal abuse. I created this art journal page the other day, and it's now available in my etsy shop below,

I've been through may fair share of rough times. I was diagnosed with depression at a very young age and had to learn how to analyze myself and the terrible thoughts I was having. It breaks my heart to remember the things I thought at such a young age. No kid should think like that, and honestly no human being should.

You are worth love and happiness. And although those bad times seem very dark and infinite, you have the strength to get through them and come out a stronger and more aware person.

Moorea-Thank you so much for being so honest with your readers. It's truly inspiring.

Thanks so much for creating this project; this was such an amazing idea!

I have an anxiety disorder and I'm always stressed out about a lot of things, and I never used to take the time out to just relax and treat myself over the past couple of years, even if its just painting your nails!

The paint your nails project has become my kind of therapy to ease myself out of a bad situation, and so, I thank you again! :)

You know, I've been blessed in my life and never had any extremely difficult things happen to me.. I've been surrounded by amazing people always...I know that may not always be the case...With that said...It's so encouraging seeing you guys come together! It's heartwarming and inspiring.. Thank you for sharing your struggles and trials Moorea.. You have strengthened many! God bless you!

I love this post, and I love this series! I am in middle of writing a blog post on it at the moment, but my comforting words to everyone are that: Everyone is different, and its only be embracing these differences, that we can be united together.